


Time Traveller's Adventure

by BarbMacK



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Drabble Sequence, Fluff, Probably only hints of future romance, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Why mages don't let mages cast drunk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-21 10:44:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14913902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarbMacK/pseuds/BarbMacK
Summary: "I know exactly where the amulet is," Dorian slurred, "Unfortunately that just so happens to be in my room back in Haven, covered by who knows how much snow."With this new information, Kith takes it upon herself to travel back in time to collect said amulet.  It's not like she's never time travelled before...just usually she was accompanied by one of her parents.  And what with her mother away on a mission and her father asleep, she was inclined to make the most of it and go on a short adventure all by herself thanks to the aid of her dear (and slightly drunk) uncle Dorian.This is a collection of small scenes from one 'story'.  I have an idea of the general plot and the motivations etc...but not really the inclination to fill in the gaps and actually turn it into a full story of it's own.  This is more just my weird side addiction when I can't write for the other stories.





	1. You don't know

**Author's Note:**

> I recall this trope being used excessively in Buffy/Angel fanfics, especially after Connor. Given that DAI includes Time Travel, it seems plausible that someone's future child may travel back for some reason or another, and who better than darling Cullen's coming to visit him before he even realized he was in love with our dear Inquisitor?

“Commander,” Rylen came up next to Cullen where he was doing his morning training.

Looking over at his second-in-command, he could see whatever Rylen was coming to see him about meant the end of his training. He put away his training sword and gave the man his full attention as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

“We have a...small situation that you should see to," Rylen told him.

He frowned, but nodded, following Rylen back to his own tent. Once they’d entered, Rylen turned to him, raising his brows. 

Cullen frowned. “Well? What is it?”

This time Cullen noticed as the other man raised his brows, he glanced down as well. Following his gaze, Cullen looked at his mantle on his cot. Alright, his mantle not being on his stand where he left it was strange, but did it really warrant---

His thoughts ground to a halt suddenly as he realized there was a small child beneath the mantle, using it like a blanket as she slept.

Cullen’s head whipped back to Rylen. “Who is she?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

Rylen shrugged, “Was hoping you knew. I spotted her when I came to drop off the morning reports. Thought it was odd you hadn’t mentioned it yourself.”

Despite their voices being low, it seemed they were enough to draw the child’s attention as she stirred. She rubbed her eyes, glancing up and made eye contact with Cullen. “Where’s mommy?” she asked.

Cullen stared back at her. "Uh I don't know," he began.

Apparently, this was the wrong thing to say as she sat up at once, elbows on her knees as her chin rested on steepled fingers. His mantle stayed in place over her shoulders. "You don't know or you don't _know_?" she asked very seriously.

"I...don't know what that even means?" Cullen replied, frowning at her.

Rylen gave a small laugh, which he tried to cover as Cullen snapped a sharp look in his direction. "Sorry ser, it's just...she does a fine imitation of you." 

Cullen looked back at the girl sitting on his cot wearing his mantle and then turned back to Rylen, raising a brow.

"How many times have you sat in that exact position? I mean her version is damn cuter but---"

"Rylen!" Cullen and the girl snapped at the same time.

Rylen's eyes went wide. "Okay that one not so much cute as creepy."


	2. The War Table

"What do you mean she's from the future?" Cassandra asked. With the Herald still away in the Storm Coast, she had taken her position at the War Table.

"I thought that statement was rather self-explanatory," Cullen replied, his hands on his pommel, watching Kith where she sat folding a piece of paper.

"But that's not possible," Cassandra retorted.

Kith sighed, gaining all three women's attention. She looked up at them in turn. "Even though you'll all forget when I leave, mommy always says not to give too much detail. It can...break things."

"Who is---"

"I wasn't finished," Kith said with a stern look (though in truth it was more adorable than stern). She looked at Josie, "I'm not sure why you always trust it easily but thank you. You're my favourite auntie," she added the last with a cheeky grin. Then she turned to Leliana, sliding over the folded paper where it sat atop a piece of black paper. "You know what that means," she told her.

They all looked at the paper and each in their own time realized it was a rose. They were all close enough with Leliana to know her reason for seeking out the Hero of Feralden. The folded rose atop black paper was a pretty good symbol of the story. As one they looked at Leliana and then back to Kith.

She however, was looking at Cassandra. "I'm meant to say the next chapter of the book is your favourite to get you all excited about it...but really it's his next book I think you like more...sorry."

Cassandra raised a brow, her face giving away nothing. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Kith sighed again. "Do you really want me to say what your favourite book series is?"

"No," the Seeker replied a little too quickly.

"So, I'm from the future," Kith confirmed. "I shouldn't be here long. As soon as...the Herald returns from the Hinterlands, I should be able to go."

Leliana frowned. "The Hinterlands? She's been and returned from there already. She's in the Storm Coast now."

"The Storm Coast?" Kith squeaked.

Cullen was instantly concerned at her distress. "What's wrong?" he asked as she sunk her head into her arms.

"I'm not going home for months," she whimpered. "I'm gonna have to wait half a year for my name day!" she added, as though this were the worst fate in the world. And as an afterthought, her mother's words, "This is why mages don't let mages cast while drunk."


	3. Impressions

Cullen wasn't sure why the others had decided _he_ should be the one left in charge of Kith, though she seemed happy with the arrangement.

Rylen caught up with them as they were coming through the gate and gave a small nod to her.

"So, Kith, this all familiar to you then?" he asked her, waving to the training ground they were approaching.

She nodded.  "You think I do the best Commander impression you've ever heard," she told him seriously, earning a raised brow from both men.

"Do I now?  Care to give us a demonstration?" he asked with a grin.

She nodded eagerly, before turning puppy eyes on Cullen.  "If it's alright with you?" she asked, giving him the most intense pleading look he'd ever seen.

"Who am I to refuse?" he replied, his hands up in surrender.

She beamed at him before making her face her version of stern again as they came to the training area.  “Oy, you there.  There’s a shield in your hand, use it!  If this were a real fight, you’d be dead,” she yelled in an impressively deep voice.

Rylen clapped his hand over his mouth to stop the bark of laughter, making a strange snorting sound instead.

Kith beamed once again, turning back to Cullen.  “Mom says you say that all the time because you’re being lazy or distracted half the time.  You say it’s because nine times out of ten, there’s at least one recruit without their shield up.”

“Yes well, obviously I tend to agree with myself more than your mother,” Cullen hmphed, watching as two recruits raised their shields higher as a result of her yell.


	4. Pups and Nightmares

It was an all too familiar nightmare. Back in Kinloch, his brothers and sisters in arms lying in heaps around him, the desire demon trying to tease him into accepting her offers of seduction.

He wasn’t sure how much more he could take. Would this be the time she finally succeeded in coercing him to do her bidding? He thought it might be, when suddenly the demon asked him something he would never have expected.

“If I’m still here on my name day, can we have a celebration here and still have a celebration when I get back home?”

Cullen sat up in his cot, exceptionally confused as well as surprised to find Kith sitting on the floor next to him, her hand in his.

He frowned at her. “Is everything alright?” he asked, trying to make sense of the nightmare, the demon’s question, and why Kith was in his tent. They’d set her up in her own small tent beside his (apparently being near him during the day wasn’t enough).

"No. You were having a nightmare," she told him solemnly.

Shame and embarrassment washed over him. "Sorry, pup. Did I wake you?"

"No, _I_ woke _you_. And you still haven't answered my question," she told him petulantly.

As quickly as they'd come, his dark feelings slipped away as he tried to recall what the question was. It took him a moment to realize it was the demon's question. At least this explained the absurdity of it.

"Is your name day soon, pup?" he asked her finally.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Two months, a week and 3 days," she told him seriously.

He chuckled as how specific she was. "And how old are you now?"

"Seven and three-quarters," she answered just as seriously.

"Alright, how do seven year olds like to cel---"

"Seven _and three-quarters_!" she repeated. "You _always_ forget the three-quarters," she pouted.

Cullen tried to remind himself that she was only a child and ignore that it was the middle of the night, that he was tired, and this was probably the most absurd conversation he'd had in a while. "Alright, how does a seven and three-quarters pup---"

"I'm _not_ a pup," she scolded him now.

"Kith, pup is just an endearment for children."

"Nooo, it's an endearment for Ferelden children, like King Ali's kids. They do resemble puppies when they're playing with their mabaris. Will you buy me a mabari puppy for my name day?" she asked suddenly.

"Uh...what?"

"For my name day. King Ali gave his kids mabaris for their _fifth_ name day. I'll be turning _**eight**_ and don't have a mabari," she whined.

"If I was buying a mabari for anyone, it would be for me," he replied.

She huffed. "You always say that," standing up.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Back to bed. You're not letting me celebrate my name day or give me a mabari. Doesn't look like I'm getting my way on anything tonight," she replied, making her way back out the tent, muttering about stupid royalty that can have whatever they damn well like all the way back into her own tent.

It was only after she had left Cullen realized the light in his tent was coming from mage lights. Most dimmed out, but a few remained lit, making the tent feel oddly homely.

Lying back down he gave a soft chuckle as he closed his eyes and tried to think of how they might celebrate her name day as he drifted back off to sleep. He'd completely forgotten his earlier nightmares and none haunted him for the rest of the night.


	5. Messages without Meaning

Cullen stood at the front of the men training, barking out the occasional order. He was becoming progressively more distracted by the men going in and out of his tent though. It was common for non-urgent reports to be dropped on his desk when he was busy, however most of them seemed to be leaving with reports in hand a few minutes later.

Curiosity getting the better of him, he went to investigate.

Inside he found a queue of his men in front of his desk, Rylen to the side with a smirk on his face.

Sitting at his desk was none other than Kith. She was kneeling on his chair to better reach the table, and was currently glancing over a report.

"If I wanted dribble, I'd use reports as pillows," she told the man in front of her, passing back the report. "Clean up that writing before bringing it back."

She took the next, giving it a few seconds before shaking her head. "If I wanted a novel, I'd see Master Tethras. Reports should be short and to the point...and its Hinterlands with an 'i' not a 'u'."

Cullen caught Rylen's eye and the man grinned at him. "She's proofing the reports for you," he told him by way of explanation. "She's not half-bad at it either...though you can tell the corrections she doesn't really understand the meaning only the message."

"Why is she proofing the reports?" Cullen asked, understanding some of the amusement Rylen was taking from the display.

Rylen shrugged. "Keeps her out of trouble and makes reading them later ourselves a lot easier. Plus she has a pretty good filing system," he added, pointing out the three piles of 'acceptable' reports she was making on the desk.

Deciding it was better to just leave them to it, Cullen headed back to the training area.

"Bloody hell, my offspring write neater than this!" he heard her declare just as he left the tent.


	6. Reminder to Check Your Nose

“Why do we have snot-nosed wildling listening into our meeting?” Evelyn asked, her exhaustion and general hatred of the Storm Coast stealing any manners she may have usually had.

“Before calling someone a snot-nose, check your own nose,” Kith retorted.

Evelyn snorted. “You sound like my mother.”

“No, I sound like my mother,” Kith replied, crossing her arms and raising her chin defiantly.

“Same difference,” Evelyn replied, unsure why she was now debating with the snot-nosed wildling.

“It is too different! I actually like my mother,” she returned. 

A squeak of laughter escaped Josephine before she covered her mouth, while Leliana raised a bemused brow.

“I like my mother!”

“Daddy says you say you like your mother the same way he says he likes your cooking. Just because it sounds believable doesn’t make it true.”

Evelyn raised her brow at that. “Your daddy sounds like a right dolt.”

Cullen was surprised to find Kith glaring at him at this comment, as though he was the one that had just insulted her father.

When he continued to say nothing, her glare grew in severity before she put her hands on her hips and stomped her foot. “You’re supposed to remind her it’s mean to insult someone who isn’t here to defend themselves,” she growled at him, causing the three women to look at him.

“I…am?” he asked confused at this turn. He agreed with her comment, insulting someone in their absence (especially in front of their child) was rude. However, he didn’t see why it fell upon him to remind the Herald of this.

It seemed this response was worse than his silence, as she suddenly crossed her arms tightly, a small quiver shaking her chin before she looked away from them all for a moment. Her eyes shimmered a little as she turned back, her attention suddenly transfixed on the war table, looking around at the different markers.

Despite her obvious ploy at distraction, Cullen felt his heart aching for having upset her. He cleared his throat slightly, unable to quite believe what he was about to say. “Herald, it’s uhh mean to insult someone who isn’t here to defend themselves.”

Evelyn gave him a disbelieving look while Josephine covered her mouth with both hands as though seeing the most adorable thing in the world and Leliana cocked an eyebrow. But he could ignore all of them fairly easily thanks to the insanely brilliant smile Kith was giving him.

“Sometimes I need reminding too,” he murmured softly to her, getting a very soft giggle as she rolled her eyes at him.


End file.
